Like many seasoned paranormal professionals, PCINJ is fortunate to have at our disposal
a vast collection of tools of our trade. Below are some of our favorites, although
the equipment we choose to use on each case may vary depending on the specifics of
the investigation.

One of our new favorite toys... thermal video helps us to look for natural causes
(such as an animal in the wall) as well as unexplainable anomalies not caught on
regular or even full spectrum video.

Flashlights

Simple right? One may think so but they come in many sizes and varieties. From Maglites
to head lamps to small single bulb LED lights. Light color choices range from white
to red to ultra-violet. Regardless of type or color, you may even see an investigator
carrying several of these as they are used for more than just seeing in the darkness.

Audio Recorders

Like Flashlights these come in a variety of types and sizes. Today most investigators
prefer to use the digital type which are smaller and have fewer moving parts and
therefore less chance of noise contamination which can be common with the older tape
driven recorders.

Still Photo Cameras

These also come in many shapes, sizes and types although the newer digital cameras
have become the camera of choice with most investigators. Digital allows you the
ability of taking many pictures and seeing them almost instantly on your camera or
PC unlike the old film cameras which had the added expense of film and development.
Still shot cameras come in the standard flash and shoot, Infra Red and Ultra Violet
varieties.

Video Cameras and DVR Systems

Like still photo cameras, these come in a variety of types including cameras with
removable and/or hard drive storage to DVR systems. These devices allow us to continuously
record the audio and visual events during an investigation. As paranormal investigations
typically are done at night, we prefer video cameras with night vision or with full
spectrum capabilities.

EMF Dectectors

EMF stands for Electro-Magnetic Field. These devices were originally designed to
help electricians detect shorted or poorly shielded wiring. Although paranormal research
theorizes that spirits may generate high electro-magnetic fields, it is possible
they may be drawn to the energies in those areas. Regardless, detecting EMF anomalies
helps researchers to know when a spirit is near.

Parascope 360

Ghost hunters are always looking for the next great tool, and the Parascope 360 by
Paranologies fits the bill! This awesome little device is a customized 16 channel
TriboElectric Field Meter which picks up TriboElectric Fields and follows them Visually
on the 360 Degree LED Circle. In layman's terns it detects static electricity and
displays it directionally with easy-to-see brightly colored lights. After seeing
it at work on our investigation at Rolling Hills Asylum it’s a new favorite!

GoPro

This handy little digital video camera is designed specifically for outdoor use on
the go and has established a nice niche with sports enthusiasts. As you may have
seen on shows such as Haunted Highway, ghost hunters love it to!

REM Pods

A new favorite to many paranormal investigator’s toolboxes, the REM Pod has an antenna
which generates it’s own energy field and buzzes and lights up when something comes
close enough to break the field.

Thermometers

Temperature variations are common in areas with paranormal activity; the theory being
that a spirit will pull the heat energy out of the air in order to manifest itself
in some way. We commonly use thermometers to detect these changes in the hopes of
tracking spirits down to a specific location.

Geophones

These little devices are essentially seismic sensors that detect movement of the
ground or object they sit on and can usually be adjusted for varying sensitivities.
They’re great for detecting slight floorboard or stair movements that might accompany
the mysterious sound of footsteps.

Lazer Grids

These cool little devices flood an area with a grid of light beams, making it easier
to notice when something moves through the area. Best used with a video camera.

Ghost Box

Variations go by many names including Frank’s Box, Spirit Box, Ghost Box, and P-SB7,
but these devices all work on the principle of scanning quickly and continuously
through radio stations. The theory is that spirits can sometimes use this energy
to produce words. A few relevant words might be random, but specific contextual phrases,
especially when repeated, can be quite interesting.

Ovilus

The Ovilus is an electronic speech-synthesis device created by Bill Chappell, a retired
electronics engineer interested in the paranormal who creates devices for ghost hunting.
It contains an embedded database of words and EMF and other environmental sensors.
The Ovilus generates vocalized words depending on environmental readings such as
electromagnetic waves, thus allowing spirits to manipulate the environmental energy
to produce vocalized speech.

Trigger Objects

A trigger object is anything that may trigger an emotional connection or interaction
from a spirit. For the spirits of children we often use dolls or balls, and for
other situations music is often used. Trigger objects are usually determined based
on the specifics of the case.